


Best I Ever Had

by paradise_joshutch



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Implied Sexual Content, Mild Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-12
Updated: 2015-04-12
Packaged: 2018-03-19 12:44:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3610551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paradise_joshutch/pseuds/paradise_joshutch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Katniss will never turn down a bet, and Peeta loves to rile her up. What will happen when the pair bets against each other on a driving competition?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Best I Ever Had

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer– I do not own The Hunger Games or any of it’s characters, not matter how much I wish I did.  
> This is dedicated to my bff, Ash. She is the best. I know it's not much of anything, but since you’re the best, I wanted to make this out to you.

“God, this place fucking sucks!” Johanna yelled over the sound of sweaty bodies grinding to the music. 

“We’ve been here for two hours already, and I’m not even close to being drunk,” Madge protested, “Katniss, you promised me this place was going to be fun!” 

“Okay, okay, okay! I know it sucks! But the place I originally planned for ended up being on the other side of the city. I didn’t think you wanted to spend three hours in traffic!” She threw her hands up in defeat.

They’ve all had a rough week. Johanna spent the week searching for a job she ended up having to turn down any way, due to the long commute and poor pay. Finnick was moping around all week because his fiancé Annie has been out of town for the last four days. She worked as a journalist for the Chicago Tribune and was currently in New York. Annie was out of town often, but this time was especially awful on Finnick since the couple had only gotten engaged just days before her departure. Madge was testy because her long-time crush had gotten a new girlfriend. And crush was putting it lightly. Madge has been madly in love with Gale since high school. They went to prom together as more than friends, but Gale ended up leaving with another girl, crushing Madge’s vulnerable heart. Ever since then, Madge has hidden her feelings while she watched the love of her life slip from her fingers. Gale’s new relationship proved to be too much for Madge to handle, and she planned to release some of her frustration tonight. Peeta taught juniors and seniors at Buffalo High School. It also happened to be finals this week, so he’s been swamped with test and essay corrections. Katniss worked at Saint Xavier University as a botanist. She has been spending early mornings and late nights stuck in the lab with her research. Long story short, they all needed some relief from a long, tiring week. And for some reason, they decided to let Katniss choose the venue.

Katniss spent all her time not stuck in the lab planning for this night. She couldn’t possibly understand why they decided to let her, out of all their friends, choose. She was “too responsible and pure” for this kind of stuff. She also didn’t know why she agreed to do this. Katniss knew she wasn’t the most exciting person in their group. She would chose a calm night in over a wild night out any day, but she did not want to disappoint her friends. 

One evening, when her lab was allowed to go home early, she spent the rest of the night searching for a good bar, club, or party to attend for the coming Friday. She was riding the public bus home when two obnoxious girls sitting in front of her were raving about some bar on the opposite side of town. Normally, Katniss would have put in her headphones and try to ignore the people around her, but she forgot to charge her phone so Pandora was no longer an option. She was forced to sit and listen. They talked about how this bar held the some of the best nights they’ve ever experienced and how they planned to go sometime this week. Trying to overlook the painfully high-pitched, fake voices, Katniss decided to actually pay attention. Katniss didn’t really have any other option, so she decided to put her faith in the two blond girls sitting near her.

When she got home she hopped on the computer and found out that The Arena was the place the girls on the bus were talking about. Katniss also found out that the bar not only had three stars, but it also was famous for celebrities randomly popping in and out of the place. If celebrities show up to this place, then it must be good, right?

Later that same night, when she was sure the place wasn’t shady as hell or nonexistent, she told her friends about the bar. They were all excited and couldn’t wait for the week to end.  
However, when Katniss went to get directions to the bar on Thursday night, Google Maps approximated the arrival time to be almost over two hours. How did she miss this detail before? She sighed and her shoulders slumped. She knew her friends wouldn’t want to drive that far. Of course this was too good to be true. Katniss rested her head in her hands and tried to think.

She could’ve asked Peeta for help, but she wanted to be able to do this herself. There wasn’t anything she had to prove, her friends would understand, but if Katniss was anything it was stubborn. Her friends would help if she asked, but she was determined to make this the best damn night of their post-graduation lives.

With little to spare, Katniss finally found a place. She spent her whole night looking for something, anything that would be better than their usual place. Peeta kept trying to help her but she pushed him away, telling him to go to sleep. Peeta had a long, hard week of late nights full of half-assed essays and assignments, and he needed sleep. And she could damn well do it herself. But being the loving boyfriend that he is, he spent his night right next to her, doing his own work on his laptop. He would make her hot chocolate when she looked like she was about to pass out. Katniss never thought it would be this hard to find a good place, but sure enough, after two in the morning, she found what she was looking for.

A bar about twenty minutes from her and Peeta’s apartment, and it sure as hell was better than all the other places she ran into online. It was a fairly popular place, looked clean enough, and the owner was apparently extremely generous in alcohol prices; a bottle of Heineken, Peeta’s favorite, was only $2.25.

What Katniss didn’t know was that that night would be the hot spot for college students. College students who were celebrating the end of finals. College students who were drunk and obnoxious. College students who clearly didn’t care about public indecency or the people around them.

As Johanna said, the place fucking sucked.

The group of five was shoved into a tiny booth only designed for three. The sticky table thumped. The music was deafening and the place reeked of sweat, urine, and stale alcohol. “Maybe we should just ditch and go get drunk at my place,” Finnick proposed.

“Katniss, where was that bar you were talking about? Let’s go there. I don’t fucking care if it’s five hours away, I need to get out of this place before I pass out from the fucking pool of perfume these girls are wearing. Do they really think that shit smells good?” Johanna stood up and made her way to the exit. They rest followed suit.

Finnick drove with Johanna and Madge. Peeta and Katniss rode together. Finnick already had a few beers, as well as Johanna. Therefore, Peeta volunteered to drive Finnick’s car, and Katniss chose Peeta’s.

“Alright, where is this place exactly?” Peeta faced Katniss once they got outside the building.

“Hold on,” Katniss dug through her purse to find her phone, “it’s right on the corner of Beaver and Clear Brook,” she said after the directions loaded.

Peeta lived in Chicago his whole life and knows most of the city streets like the back of his hand. “Okay, I think the fastest way to get there would be to take I-57 until you hit Lansing. You should probably just follow close behind me because I’m not quite sure the exact road to take, and I don’t want you getting lost.”

“Whoa, who says we’ll get lost?” Katniss gave him her trademark scowl and crossed her arms. “And the directions say to take North Hutchinson.”

Peeta huffed, “Kat, come on. You’re a great driver, but not so much the same with directions,” Peeta said gently. He knew Katniss enough to know that she never liked to be told what to do, but he didn’t want to make her night worse when he knew how long she spent trying to make it worthwhile. “And I just don’t want you getting lost and missing the entire night.” He kissed her cheek.

“Oh please! I could get the just fine without your directions!” Katniss pushed him away even though she was pretty sure she did in fact need his help, but her pride wouldn’t let her admit that.

“Kat, baby, come on. Let’s not argue about this and just go.”

“I’m not arguing! I’m just saying that I could get there perfectly fine without you, and actually, I could probably get there with a faster route!” Katniss’s eyes widened with her words and immediately regretted saying that. She mentally punched herself for saying something so stupid. There was no way Katniss would be able to outsmart her boyfriend in his city. Peeta grinned, knowing that even if Katniss knew she would lose, she would never back down from a challenge. “Okay, sure! Let’s make a bet! Whoever gets there first wins.”

Katniss hesitated. “What are the stakes?” 

Peeta hummed and rubbed his lips with his thumb and forefinger. “Loser has to pay the tab.”

“That all you got, Mellark?” Katniss snarked. 

Peeta raised his eyebrows. “Okay, let’s make it a little more interesting.”

“How do you plan to do that?” Katniss was getting a little afraid. She knew Peeta could get her to do almost anything, and right now was no exception. 

Peeta thought for a moment. He leaned into her a littler, “Winner gets control tonight. They can do whatever they chose to the other for however long they want.”

Katniss shivered. She hardly saw how this was a bet; either way they both win, but she wasn’t about to complain. “Deal.” 

They shook on it.

Peeta grasped Katniss’s hand tighter and pulled her into him, his hand grabbed her elbow, “I hope you’re ready to get your ass kicked, sweetheart.” His breath tickled her neck, “fuck you.” She shivered off the unwelcomed goosebumps from her skin. Peeta gently kissed her soft spot just under her earlobe and turned to give her the sexiest smile before walking away towards Finnick’s car.

Damn him.

She tried not to stare at his ass as he walked away, but she couldn’t help it. Peeta’s ass was irresistible, especially when he wore those tight jeans that hugged his thighs in all the right places. She tried not to think about how amazing that ass felt when she squeezed it in her hands. She was practically drooling when he turned around to give her a wink with a knowing smirk. He knew how much she loved his ass.

Katniss had to take a few deep breaths before she turned and walked to her car.

Johanna and Madge decided to ride with Katniss figuring they could help her with directions, knowing she was going to need it. While they both knew the boys would beat them, they couldn’t just let their girlfriend get lost on a perfect Friday night in Chicago.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once they all took off, Katniss began to realize just how fucked she was.

While Peeta lived here his whole live, Katniss has only lived in Chicago for four years. Plus if Peeta wasn’t with her, Katniss always rode the bus. She had no idea where she was going. The only routes she knew was how to get to her apartment, work, and the little convenience store down the road from her apartment.

She thought about using the GPS on her phone, but the last time she tried that she ended up twenty miles away from her destination with a raging headache and a broken phone.  
She tried not to panic as she turned her blinker on and got onto the freeway. At this point she was still following behind Peeta and Finnick. Maybe she could just follow them but far enough away so Peeta wouldn’t notice. She would lose the bet but at least she would get there.

Katniss took a deep breath and shook her head. No, she couldn’t do that. If Peeta found out she followed him he would never let her forget it, and surely the girls would tell him.  
She began to focus as her hands glided around the steering wheel. No matter what way she went, she was going to have to follow I-57 for at least 30 miles, so she has some to time to think this through.

Johanna flipped the radio on, her and Madge began to sing to the music oblivious to the mild panic attack Katniss was having. Katniss was too focused on figuring out a way that she didn’t even notice Peeta exit off the freeway.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“God, why the hell did I do this to myself! Do you guys know where to go?”

“Katniss, I think we’re lost. I’m going to call Finnick.” Madge pulled out her phone and began to dial.

“No! Wait! I can figure this out, I just need to pull over and look at a map.”

“Whatever, Brainless, but when or if we ever get there, I’m going to let Peeta tease you all night. Hell, I’ll join him!!”

“Please Johanna, you make fun of me all the time, regardless the situation.” Katniss pulled over, and grabbed the map.

“Yeah, you’re right. Anyway, we’ve been driving for the last hour, we have to be close right?”

Katniss looked out the window with a scowl. She squinted her eyes, trying to find a street sign. It was only ten o’clock, she still had time to make up for this, if she could just fucking figure out where the hell they were. There was no way the guys were there yet. She could still do this.

She vaguely heard Johanna say something directed towards her and Madge telling her to stop. She ignored them and kept looking around.

Once she figured out what street they were on, she developed a plan. “Okay, so if we take a left turn up here, and the follow that road for about twenty miles, take a couple more turns, we should be just about there.”

The girls shared a determined look, buckled their seat belts, and were on their way once again.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Dude, Kat is going to be so pissed at you.” Finnick reached to turn down the radio.

“I don’t think so. I mean she wouldn’t let me help her. I just hope she can find her way here.” Peeta tried to convince himself as much as Finnick that his girlfriend wouldn’t be upset. “I mean, I remember last summer when we were on vacation with her sister and her sister's boyfriend. I was at the local art show, so we all just made plans to meet up at a restaurant. She was leaving from the hotel and somehow ended up two hours away from the restaurant. She called me crying and had know idea where she was. I ended up having to talk her through her way to get back, and by that time we missed our reservation.” Peeta put on his blinker and turned right. “How that actually happened, I don’t know. But I do know that she’s stubborn, and refuses to accept help so this will be interesting,” he continued.

“Whatever man, I just want to get there.” Finnick leaned back and huffed at the window.

After a few miles, Peeta and Finnick were nearly there. 

“Okay, so if we just keep straight at the light and drive for a mile or so, the bar should be on our right.” Peeta looked around to see if his girlfriend was anywhere to be found. They were sitting behind a red light.. The road is busy; cars surround his at the two lane intersection. His eyes mindlessly follow random cars, waiting for the light to turn.

“Alright, did you see last week–wait, is that..?” Finnick shot up in his seat and pointed out the windshield, “Is that the girls?” 

Peeta’s eyes widened and his neck craned to the direction Finnick was pointing. There was no way that could be them. He hadn’t seen them since he exited the freeway. He focused outside the window on the silver Volkswagen tiguan that looked a lot like his own. “No fucking way.” They were to his right across the intersection, turning right at the green light. 

“Shit! That is them!” Finnick gasped. 

Just as they turned, Peeta made eye contact with Katniss. She waved at him, smiling. Peeta looked completely shocked; his mouth was open and his eyes were wide. How in the world did she find a way to get ahead? Peeta never thought–

Finnick slapped his arm, hard.“What the hell, man! Go!” 

Finnick snapped Peeta out of his trance. Peeta didn’t even notice the light turn green or the car horns around him. He slammed on the accelerator; his tires squealed behind them. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
“Holy shit, Katniss!” Johanna slapped her hands on Katniss’s shoulders. “We might just fucking beat them!”

“How did you manage to do that?” Madge asked, exasperated. Madge loved her friend, but just like everyone else, she never thought Katniss would be able to beat Peeta in this bet. 

“I have no fucking idea.” Katniss laughed a breathy chuckle. “Did you see his face!”

They all laughed. They weren’t there yet, however. The guys could still pass them. “Come on, Brainless. We can’t lose this now. A little speeding never hurt anyone,” Johanna urged her friend. Katniss checked her mirrors often, just to keep an eye on her boyfriend. 

“We’re almost there! There’s the sign, right up there!” Madge pointed from her backseat. Katniss’s heart was racing. She wanted to win this so badly, so she pushed on the accelerator. The speed limit was 45, but 55 wasn’t that much faster, was it? Katniss stayed in the right lane. No one was in front of her. She could see Peeta getting closer and closer; he must be going at least 60. Katniss could see the bar, right up the next block. Katniss got ready to turn on the blinker, ready to win and rub it in her boyfriend’s face, when she saw the red and blue lights flash. She looked in her rearview mirror and her mouth dropped. “You have got to be fucking kidding.”

“The fuck? Is he pulling us over? Or the boys?” Johanna turned and looked in the back windshield. Madge followed Johanna’s gaze, “Well, given he already passed the guys, I would say it’s us." Katniss slumped in her seat. Of course, she thought, this would happen. The boys are probably laughing their asses off. Katniss slowed down and pulled over to the side, and sure enough the cop pulled up behind her. 

They all sighed and watched Peeta and Finnick pass. Peeta was hysterically laughing, Finnick waved to them and smiled. Johanna flipped them off and sat back in her seat as the officer walked up to their car and tapped Katniss’s window.

She rolled down her window. “Ma’am, do you know how fast you were going?” The old, grumpy man asked. He looked old enough to be her great grandfather. White beard, wrinkled skin, and a pair of creepy, snake eyes that left her trembling. His name tag read, C. Snow. 

Not fast enough, she wanted to say. “I'm not sure, Officer.” She avoided his eyes. 

“The speed limit is 45, you know? You were going 63.” His voice was deep and eerie. Everything about this man was frightening.

Katniss didn’t know what to say to this; she had only been pulled over once, and that was simply because she forgot to turn on her lights during the rain. Not to mention this guy was intimidating as fuck.

“May I see your license and registration, please?” He asked impatiently. 

Katniss reached her shaky hands over to her purse and fetched out her wallet. After a few seconds of fumbling, she gave him her papers. Adrenaline was pumping through her veins She prayed he wouldn’t give her a ticket. 

He scribbled a few thing on his notepad. Silence overcame the vehicle. Katniss looked to Johanna. She looked like she wanted to rip the guys face off. 

“Ma’am, I’m going to have to ticket you for exceeding the speed limit.” He went to explain more but all Katniss could think was perfect, fucking perfect. This’ll cost over $100. fuck fuck fuck. She nodded her head when needed and took back her license and ticket. A few minutes later, the officer walked away, and they’re free to go. 

With a deep sigh, Katniss pulled out into traffic and shamefully made her way to the bar. They were all silent as she parked the vehicle. They stepped out of the car and made their way into the building. 

They spotted the guys instantly and began their way to them. Katniss kept her head down, embarrassed and pissed off by her circumstance. 

“Hey! There they are!” Finnick cheered. “Nice of you guys to show! I hope you didn’t have too many troubles getting down here.” Peeta punched his arm and told him to stop, even though his smirk gave him away.

Katniss stomped up to the bar, her face red, and asked for a brandy. Peeta stood next to her and gently slipped his arm around her waist. Despite her anger, she didn’t shrug him off. Her night was ruined and all she wanted to do was rest her head in his strong, warm chest and fall asleep. He leaned his head into the crook of her neck and shoulder and rested his chin on her. “Hey, love,” he whispered. Their friends forgotten.

“Hmph,” she sighed and leaned into him. She took a sip of her drink. He leaned his head so he could kiss her neck. Slowly, her anger is dissipated. After a moment he said, “it’s okay to admit you lost to your wonderful and handsome boyfriend who knows his way around the city.”

At this she shoved him away and scowled. “Oh please, I would have won if it wasn’t for that dumbass cop. He should’ve pulled you over! You were speeding more than me, and you were closer to him!” She huffed. “Sexist asshole,” she mumbled.

“Sweetheart, I won fair and square.” He gave her a sexy smile and winked.

“You did not, and you know it.” She took another gulp of her brandy. 

“Okay, maybe,” he admitted. “How did you get ahead of me anyway?”

“I have no idea. It doesn’t matter anyway; I still lost.” Katniss complained, “and now our insurance will go up because I got a ticket for speeding.” She dug through her purse and showed him the annoying slip of paper. He examined it for a moment and shrugged. “Shit happens. But do you know what this means?” He spinned her chair so he was standing in between her legs. 

“That we have to pay $113 because of a dumb bet?” His hands moved to her waist. 

“No, well yes, but that’s not what I meant,” he said. 

“Well, what then?” She was in no mood for any more games. 

“It means,” He leaned into her very closely, their chests meshed together, and whispered in her ear. Shivers ran through her body. “That you’re all mine tonight.” He kissed the corner of her mouth, “and I plan to spend the whole entire night showing you just how much I loved beating you.” Katniss closed her eyes and felt him kiss his way around her neck not caring if anyone saw. 

Damn, she thought, now we have to drive all the way back to finish this. 

“Get a room! No one wants to see that shit!” they heard Johanna yell. 

Katniss felt Peeta smirk against her skin. “Should we get out of here?” he breathed. 

“You’re driving.” Katniss grabbed his hand, gave him the keys, and they made their way back to his car.

**Author's Note:**

> This took me a long time to write, mainly because I'm lazy as hell and was scared to write this. I knew this would be my first fic I would publish, so it kind of terrified me. Don't judge too hard! We've all had our first fics and this is one mine. I would absolutely LOVE to hear any of your thoughts on this. Please don't be shy! Come talk to me on tumblr, I'm paradise-joshutch.
> 
> THANK YOU FOR READING!
> 
> p.s. If you were wondering why it's titled "Best I Ever Had," yes. It is also the title of a Gavin DeGraw song, I know! But let me tell you, I wouldn't have written this without that song. When I read/write I always find one specific song to listen to on repeat that inspires me and helps me focus and this was that song for this story... and I may or may not be creative enough to think of a better title.


End file.
